Apple said to be looking at streaming radio

Rumors suggest that Apple is looking at the possibility of bringing out a streaming radio service that is similar to Pandora. The company is said to have had discussions with major content owners in an effort to determine licensing costs. The initial report of Apple’s plans came from Wall Street Journal sources, but a number of other sources are now confirming that they are also hearing similar stories.

The service would work using dedicated apps as well as a web browser, but the plan would be to not allow access to Android devices, for example. The service would include virtual stations that play music and use an advertising model to generate revenue, but the company might offer an advertising-free subscription model, as well.

It isn’t clear what type of additional features Apple might put into their offering that would be different from Pandora, Rdio, or Spotify, but it is clear that they would be new in this space and starting from scratch to attract listeners. Apple is said to be interested in using its “Genius Recommendations” technology from iTunes to customize users’ stations; but that is only a guess.